


Cuddle Pile

by LoveCaratX (AyotliKestrel)



Category: NU'EST, SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Chatting & Messaging, Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M, Multi, Platonic Cuddling, Romantic Friendship, chat fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-09-30 12:43:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17224310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AyotliKestrel/pseuds/LoveCaratX
Summary: When NU'EST W tries to use the dance studio one early morning, they find it occupied.JR has created group: Cuddle PileJR has added to group Cuddle Pile: Ren, Aron, Baekho, S.Coups, Woozi, Hoshi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Jun, The8, and DinoJR: So…anyone care to explain way there is a roughly Seventeen shaped puddle of humans cluttering up the dance studio?Joshua: Blame HoshiHoshi: HEY! You and Jeonghan started it!The chat fic where nothing hurts and the groups are basically just amoebas of care and support which is not at all meant to be taken too seriously.





	1. The First Pile

**Author's Note:**

> Let’s get this clear upfront. This in no way claims to know anything about the Idols personal lives. I am projecting onto their stage personas and that is as far as it goes. I have nothing but respect for all of them and this is just a fun story to play around with headcanons and cute moments. I repeat this is solely based on stage persona- what they willingly show the public that has varying levels of reality involved. I know nothing about who they really are and that is a good thing, they deserve privacy in their offstage lives.

Chapter One-The First Pile

It was never an easy thing to get everyone moving in the morning. Long days and short nights left them all groggy and sleep deprived but it was worth it to see the product of that sacrifice being enjoyed by Loves. 

Another early morning found JR rounding up his members and heading toward the dance studio. They needed to work on adjusting their formations yet again, at least this time it was in preparation for adding back their missing member; much preferable to having to painstakingly edit him out. 

That plan was a good one, except when they arrived at the studio it was not empty the way they had planned on. JR froze in the doorway at the sight of sprawled out bodies lying in a mixed-up mess of limbs and clothing until knowing where one form began and the other ended was impossible to discern. 

Pristin was on break, so if that many bodies were piled up onto each other there was only one logical culprit, and even as a half-asleep Baekho bumped into him not realizing he had frozen in place, JR pulled out his phone amid the stifled laughter of Aron and Ren.

He didn’t want to just barge in and wake the group of slumbering boys, but if some of them were not asleep this would be the best way of getting some answers. 

JR has created group: Cuddle Pile  
JR has added to group Cuddle Pile: Ren, Aron, Baekho, S.Coups, Woozi, Hoshi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Jun, The8, and Dino

JR: So…anyone care to explain way there is a roughly Seventeen shaped puddle of humans cluttering up the dance studio?

Joshua: Blame Hoshi

Hoshi: HEY! You and Jeonghan started it!

Joshua: Well we wouldn’t have gotten the idea if you weren’t working us until three again. Also if I’m not mistaken that is your head on my leg, so it’s not like you didn’t join in

Dino: That’s my head hyung, Hoshi is over using Woozi as a teddy bear

Joshua: Whoops, sorry Dino

DK: I too like to live dangerously Hosh

Hoshi: What’s the worst that can happen? He’s soft and sleeps like a rock

DK: We all make dumb decisions now and again, good luck with that one

JR: Hoshi’s impending death aside, you guys do know it’s six right? As in AM? You’ve been cuddling for three hours???

Seungkwan: Once we got like this no one wanted to move, so here we are \\(*.*)/

Ren: And you didn’t invite us? Shame on you

S.Coups: I assumed you’d be like normal humans and you know… be sleeping?

Aron: Is anyone in this industry really normal though? 

JR: Hate to say it but we’ve known each other since we were kids, normal flew out the window a long time ago and we all know it

Hoshi: Oh shit guys. Duck!

Joshua: Huh?

Woozi: WHOEVER WOKE ME UP HAD BETTER HAVE A DAMN GOOD REASON FOR IT!!!

Joshua: Oh, that

Ren: Morning Woozi

Woozi: What the fuck is this?

JR: Are you asking about the group chat or the giant cuddle pile in the studio? Because the one lead into the other.

Woozi: UGH I’m going back to the dorm and crashing, yall better be as quiet as mice

Hoshi: Wait, no, don’t go! You’re warm!

Baekho: Hehe a Woozi heater, sounds nice

Ren: …Is Hoshi pinning Woozi down?

DK: By clinging onto him like a koala? Yes

Ren: Cool. I bet on Woozi

DK: Deal

Vernon: So…is all of Nu’Est just standing outside the studio watching us?

Ren: No, Minhyunie isn’t home yet ☹

Vernon: You know what I meant

Aron: Well we were intending on using the dance studio, to I don’t know, practice dancing, but instead we found this.

Ren: It’s cute as fuck to be honest, also considering Woozi just walked straight passed us like a zombie I won DK

DK: Fine fine, settle terms later?

Ren: Just don’t try to wiggle out of it

DK: I can’t wiggle, VerKwan is on top of me

Vernon: You were a better option than the floor

Ren: I repeat, cute as fuck

Wonwoo: Might look cute but my right arm is numb and I can’t move my legs

Ren: No surprise, you have a tree on your arm and two pieces of fine china laying across the both of you

Mingyu: *An attractive tree

Jun: Fine China? Fine China. Fine China!

Dino: I have regrets.

Jun: Don’t it was cute!

JR: Did we miss something?

Dino: Trainee days I called him that when he was talking to the camera with MingMing, he mocked me with it for days

Jun: I couldn’t speak well yet, it was fun for me to be able to tease back for once, we took it as a compliment if that means anything

Baekho: Dino, I’m sorry, but that’s adorable and Junie I’m glad you’re able to joke more now. It’s good to see

Jun: Practice, lots of practice

Mingyu: Not to mention The8 is savage as fuck, keeps you on your toes in both languages

The8: It’s a gift

Wonwoo: Oh good you’re awake, could you kindly get your boney elbow out of my gut?

The8: I’m not that boney

Mingyu: Liar liar, I’ve got like thirty kg on yocghsjyf

Baekho: Did he die? Have we witnessed two murders in less than fifteen minutes?

Jun: They’re just playing!

Aron: Ahh, Jun, are those The8’s hands around Mingyu’s neck?

Jun: …maybe?

Wonwoo: I might’ve considered stepping in, but my arm is still numb and its his fault so he’ll have to live with it

JR: You can ignore them wrestling basically on top of you?

Wonwoo: You say that like it’s the first time, at least The8’s elbow isn’t digging into me anymore

S.Coups: We live in a cartoon

JR: I’ve known that, just hoped we were in Mickey Mouse and not Looney Tunes

Jeonghan: That’s a fun question, if we were cartoons, who would we be?

DK: Well we know Mingyu and The8 are Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote

Aron: Whose who

Jun: That’s obvious, Mingyu is Coyote

Wonwoo: I hate to agree but I do, sorry Mingyu it’s the clumsy thing

Mingyu: You try being this tall in Korea, do you have any idea how many times I’ve bashed my head off things you guys can just walk under?

Wonwoo: Yes I do actually, I’ve been there for most of them. Doesn’t explain you spilling your coffee all over MY lyric notes yesterday

Dino: Again.

Mingyu: Not helping Dino

Dino: Was I supposed to help? 

Ren: So Mingyu lived I take it

The8: This time.

Ren: You are terrifying…

Ren: I love it

Hoshi: Woozi is Tweety Bird

DK: That came out of nowhere, but do go on

Hoshi: Tiny, cute, and absolutely terrifying, the sheer amount of times Sylvester almost dies is up there with Coyote and Roadrunner 

Seungkwan: To be fair to Tweety, Sylvester usually starts it

DK: And Hoshi used Woozi as a teddy bear, that’s enough cause 

Jeonghan: Does it have to be Looney Tunes or can we pick from any?

S.Coups: This was your idea in the first place

Joshua: There’s a lot of us, stick to things most of us should know but we’ll run out of good fits pretty soon if we don’t branch out

Jeonghan: BooSeokSoon are Huey Dewey and Louie.

Baekho: Donald Duck’s nephews?

Jeonghan: Yep, think about it. Always together, mischievous, smarter than people realize, and always good for a laugh. 

Seungkwan: I’m okay with that

Hoshi: He’s not wrong

Dino: S.Coups and Jeonghan are Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck

S.Coups: Why us?

Dino: I always saw them as the ringleaders, one playing off the other to see who was best, Daffy lost a lot but if it wasn’t for him Bugs wouldn’t have someone to have fun with. They needed each other.

Jeonghan: …That is a much deeper analysis of Looney Tunes than expected 

Dino: I’ve had three hours sleep and we’re discussing which cartoons fit us the best, I think I’m delirious 

Ren: Dino some day when you’re a big boy I want to get drunk with you, the things running through your head are fascinating 

Dino: I’m not a kid! I can drink legally now

Ren: No way, you’re still a baby

Dino: Not this again

Joshua: I mean, you have been cuddling me and Jeonghan for the past couple hours, kinda hurts the tough guy act

Dino: Vernon was right, its better than the floor, I just flopped here, its you two that were cuddling first. 

S.Coups: You do know there are three of us under you, one of which is me, right?

Dino: ….so?

Aron: Dino is Taz. Never stays still, a little crazy, but everyone loves him even when they tease him

Joshua: Are you joining this matching game too Aron?

Aron: Why not? All the cool kids are doing it.

Joshua: Please don’t say that again, I beg you

Aron: But the cool kids! I want to be like them

Vernon: He couldn’t help himself. 

Ren: Aron is Goofy, sweet and well meaning but a capital M Mess at times

Aron: If I’m Goofy then you are Minnie, generous and kind, but likes taking care of her appearance and having others adore her

Ren: I’ll take it, Minnie is a badass that can fix anything with a smile and a hairbow 

S.Coups: Does that make JR Mickey then?

JR: I hear you laughing idiot

Jeonghan: Well, it’s not that bad a fit right? Mickey is sweet, a leader, and he dotes on Minnie.

Baekho: You do have trouble saying no to Ren, they’ve got you there 

JR: If you insist…Donald

Baekho: Why am I Donald?

Joshua: Easy, Donald cares a lot about people and things, he gets cranky sometimes, but cools off quickly until you really push him. Mostly he’s just a sweet misunderstood fluffball

Vernon: I think Josh is like Porky Pig. A nice person often caught in the middle of disputes, and usually manages to smooth things over by the end using kindness and humor

Joshua: I’m pretty sure that’s a compliment, so I’ll accept it. 

Seungkwan: Well, Vernon’s Daisy

Vernon: Really, you think I’m like Daisy Duck?

Seungkwan: Yes. Pretty and sweet, keeps everything under control even when Donald is losing it but is ready to laugh at everything life throws at her.

Jeonghan: We just need something for Wonwoo and Jun now

Mingyu: Wonwoo is Pluto. Sits and watches all the insanity go by him and at least attempts to keep his people from going too overboard. Unless he’s in the center of all the chaos, then it’s just fun to see

Wonwoo: It could be worse, I’m okay with it. I think Jun is Speedy Gonzales by the way. Happy and persistent, he makes people smile and helps out whenever someone needs him. 

Ren: That’s all fun and everything but you do realize we’ve just spent nearly an hour talking while standing around the hallway? Either budge up and let us join or head to bed so we can practice. 

Jeonghan: Find a spot, don’t think anyone’s moving for awhile

JR: I guess a break wouldn’t be a bad thing

 

Putting his phone away decisively, JR lead the smaller group into the studio at last, and between him and Coups they should probably make the Seventeen members head to bed but honestly everyone was curled up and comfortable, so used to making human pillows out of each other in crowded vehicles and hotel rooms that the hardwood floor didn’t pose any challenge for them. Settling down between and around the established clusters it wasn’t difficult to get assimilated into the bigger group. 

Staff would occasionally look into the studio throughout the morning only to discover the mess of human and turning to leave, this not the first and probably not the last time the idol groups got so tired they simply slept where ever they happened to be. They might not be able to tell one group from the other with the way they were curled together, but they did know all the boys had been working so hard they needed the rest. Hunger would wake them in due time they were sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never thought I would spend quite so much time analyzing cartoons, but oh well, here we are.


	2. The Second Pile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Performance unit is headed to lunch when they find a living obstacle in the lobby, a NU'EST shaped obstacle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo.. NU'EST W Epilogue is amazing and if you haven't seen it, go watch it right now

Chapter Two: The Second Pile

The performance team was heading out for lunch, a common occurrence for them to relax and discuss upcoming choreography projects. Dino and Jun were playfighting over which restaurant to try this time while Hoshi and The8 followed them with bemused expressions. The never ending debate about where to eat was entertaining if nothing else.

Of course as soon as they reached the lobby of the dorm, an obstruction was in their way. A living obstacle on the path to delicious endeavors. 

Several bodies were dog piled not three steps inside.

Hoshi realized the significance first, grabbing The8’s arm in excitement, while Dino and Jun stopped arguing midsentence only to break out in huge smiles.

Hoshi lead the charge from there, piling on top of the others with a joyful shout, Jun and Dino following his lead. This left The8 who, instead of following the others, pulled out his phone and opened the already created group chat.

Cuddle Pile

The8: Anyone not already in the lobby should get down here, right now!

S.Coups: What happened this time? Is anyone bleeding?

The8: Not that I know of, but the person on the bottom of the pile might have some trouble breathing

Jeonghan: Bottom of what now?

The8: The pile of people in the lobby, but seriously get down here

Woozi: The vocal team is out for lunch already, do we need to come back?

The8: I mean, when you’re done yes you should

Mingyu: Would you stop being so damn cryptic! What’s going on?

The8: Since you asked so nicely, I’m not telling, find out for yourself 

Mingyu: (>.<)

Wonwoo: I’m almost to the lobby 

S.Coups: Already here, The8 is right, get down here right away. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to go jump on him 

The8: …He actually did it, I’m impressed

Joshua: Could you take pity on our adrift souls and pretty please tell us what is happening?

The8: It’s exactly what I said already, there is a pile of people in the lobby that just keeps getting bigger. Wonwoo has now joined the mess. You will want to see this

Seungkwan: Alright, I’ll try a different tactic, why is there a pile of people in the lobby?

The8: Because idols are weird? But I’m pretty sure the point of this one is what is under the pile.

Jeonghan: Really, you’re doing this?

The8: Yes, I need to have some fun every now and again. 

Woozi: Minghao… what exactly is under the pile?

DK: OooOOH, brought out the real name

Woozi: Yes, I did, now spill!

The8: …Minhyun

Woozi: MINHYUN IS BACK AND YOU DIDN’T TELL US!?!?!?!?!?!?

The8: I’ve been telling everyone this whole time to get here, but no, couldn’t just take me at my word *Jun style eye roll* Now finish your lunch and get back here.

The8: Why do I hear a stampede? 

Jeonghan: I worry about the Pledis dorms sometimes 

The8: Never mind, just Vernon and Mingyu on the stairs, and the pile just keeps getting bigger

DK: We’re almost done, you can bet we’ll be joining the dog pile once we get there

The8: I am a little concerned about that breathing thing I mentioned, doubt he’s doing a lot of that right now, it’s a pretty deep pile

Seungkwan: Why aren’t you in the pile too?

The8: He doesn’t know me as well. I thought I’d be *nice* and let the rest of you know to get here, but I see how my generosity is viewed

DK: Alright Thughao, we appreciate you torturing us with vague details until Woozi cornered you

The8: I have to keep up my image somehow

Jeonghan: This was not the time

The8: This was the perfect time

Jeonghan: >.> No.

Joshua: At least you did give us a head’s up, I’ll take that much

DK: That does bring up the question of why we weren’t told? I mean, Nu’Est made this chat in the first place?

The8: Judging from the enthusiasm this was a surprise to them too 

Woozi: JR might let us know when he sees this, but for now we are just paying the check, should be back in five minutes

The8: You guys are gonna run aren’t you?

Jeonghan: Silly question

DK: Of course we are going to run

 

xxxXXxxxXXX A few hours of reuniting and cuddling later, the group has dispersed to their own dorms XXXxxxXXxxx

JR: Wow, okay, that’s a lot of messages. DK no we did not know he was coming home today, he told us it would be tomorrow.

Woozi: Looks like The8 was right, speaking of Minhyun, are you going to add him?

JR: Oops, shit, forgot I hadn’t already done that

:JR has added Minhyun to group Cuddle Pile:

JR: There now you can experience it all yourself instead of reading over my shoulder

Minhyun: It was too good an opportunity to miss, it’s hard to be ourselves if we meet up in public so this seemed like the better option

Woozi: It’s not like the lobby is all that private, but I get it a bit I think

Ren: It’s all JR’s fault. He jumped on him first and we were not letting him get Minhyunie all to himself

Baekho: Then Hoshi spotted us and it was all over from there

Minhyun: It looks like I owe The8 a thanks too, and I wouldn’t have minded if you joined in. The more the merrier around here. I missed it. 

The8: Appreciated, I wasn’t sure and didn’t want to interrupt so I did the next best thing I could think of

DK: Tease us mercilessly? 

The8: Yes, but useful teasing

Joshua: He’s right, we were talking about staying out in the city for the afternoon, if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have been so quick to meet up

Jun: He’s fun like that, even in Thughao mode he’s still fluffy on the inside

The8: Jun don’t, just don’t

Jun: But you are our precious spiky fluffball! I need my daily dose of fluffy and spiky 

Mingyu: The8 is a hedgehog, confirmed by Jun

Aron: Guys, what was that thud?

Vernon: The8 and Mingyu were cuddling on the couch, The8 shoved Mingyu off then went over to lay with Wonwoo instead…Both Mingyu and Jun look so betrayed it’s funny. Wonwoo and The8 look really comfortable, not going to lie

Seungkwan: So I’m chopped liver now? 

Vernon: Never, just because I’m cuddling you doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate that they look comfortable

Wonwoo: It is comfortable, no elbows digging into me this time

Seungkwan: Isn’t that kind of a low bar?

Wonwoo: Not with his elbows it’s not

The8: I should object but I’m comfortable here, so I’ll give you a pass this time

Seungkwan: And now Jun and Mingyu are consoling each other, the visuals are a nice bonus

Vernon: I can’t argue with that

Minhyun: It’s good to be home

S.Coups: Is it? I mean it’s great to have you back, but it’s been a hell of a rollercoaster the past two years for you, Wanna One, and the rest of Nu’Est. We were worried about all of you as much as we were happy to see how well everyone has done

Minhyun: Honestly I’m trying not to think about everything too much for now. I just want to settle in and then I’ll deal with the fallout. Instead I’d rather know why I didn’t get a cartoon character from you guys?

Jeonghan: You saw that?

Minhyun: I read fast and you guys are hilarious

Woozi: I still don’t understand what possessed them to assign me Tweety Bird

Minhyun: Rule one, don’t go to bed first, you can’t defend yourself if you’re asleep

Minhyun: And, well, they weren’t wrong

Vernon: At least you aren’t Daisy Duck

Seungkwan: Hey! I explained why I picked her!

Vernon: I know I know, I can kind of see it, just pointing out Tweety Bird is not that bad. He owns Sylvester on a regular basis. 

JR: Minhyun is Max

Jeonghan: Goofy’s son? 

JR: Yep, his story is about growing up and learning how to live independently, while discovering that no matter how far he goes he can always come home. Goofy is sad to see him go, happy to see him coming home, and proud of him no matter what. 

Baekho: That sounds right

Ren: We are so goddamned proud of you Minhyun, having you back makes us whole again, but we know there is going to be parts of you that are sad to see Wanna One end, and that’s okay

Aron: Yeah, you fought through so much with them, good and bad times just like with us in the early years still figuring each other out. They are part of your family, and like you said earlier, it’s the more the merrier around here.

Minhyun: I don’t know what to say, just thank you. I’ve missed all of you so much, but I had a great time, I’ll never regret it or forget them. 

Mingyu: So..we’re all gonna dogpile on him again, right?

S.Coups: Way ahead of you

JR: He just got here, where are the rest of you?

 

And that was all the encouragement Seventeen needed to race toward the Nu’Est dorm and surround Minhyun with the people he’d been missing. It was crowded and too warm just like all their cuddle sessions ended up being, but with him back at the center it just seemed to be that much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome home Minhyun, you've done well.


	3. Third Pile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the Golden Disc awards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know that funny stage of tired where you start babbling and going off on weird tangents in the middle of conversations? That's the kind of tired I imagine the idols have to be in after keeping up with such insane schedules. Please support the groups in all they do, because they work so hard just to give us some entertainment. Show them the love they've been showing us. 
> 
> Also as an aside, I heard coughing during Seventeen's performance, and in my extensive research (I.E. scrolling Youtube comments) I saw people debating over whether it was Vernon or Mingyu, I personally think it was Vernon but either way I hope they get better soon. Aron was only able to attend part of the awards show because he was sick too, he made it for the performance and acceptance speech but did not participate in anything else. I hope it isn't too serious and he's back on his feet soon. 
> 
> Let's just wish that everyone not feeling their best gets a chance to rest up and get better, they've worked hard and deserve the time to get themselves healthy again.

Chapter Three- Third Pile

The rush of awards season was both a highlight of the year and one of the worst times for illness and injury. All the groups were pushing themselves hard to keep up with everything they needed to do. The Pledis boy groups were under even more pressure thanks to comeback preparations right in the middle of all the big awards shows. 

The Golden Disc awards were one of the last shows of the season, everyone was stressed and tired, but attempted to keep it together the best they could. It was only in watching the footage after that the full story of the show came out. It did not take long before someone was taking the initiative to check on everyone. 

:Cuddle Pile:

Minhyun: Hey guys, thought I’d check in and make sure everyone is alright after the show? I’m sorry that I couldn’t be with everyone publicly yet. 

S.Coups: Don’t worry about it, we understand you still have obligations with Wanna One for now, enjoy your time with them while you can. How’s Aron doing? Vernon is still pretty out of it. 

Ren: Aron’s still sick too. We’re glad he made it to the show at all, he didn’t want to disappoint Loves

Vernon: Same, though I still feel a little bad the mics picked up my cough

S.Coups: I thought you were sleeping it off?

Vernon: I was sleeping, woke up to get a drink and saw the notification

JR: Then get some water and go back to bed, you want to be in good condition for the comeback right?

Vernon: Yeah, yeah, I’m going

S.Coups: Seungkwan you better watch out for him

Seungkwan: Aye Aye captain 

DK: That’s it, no more pirate movies for you!

Seungkwan: I don’t even like pirate movies that much, its just fun to say

DK: Fair enough, proceed 

Wonwoo: Did you know there is a type of lemur called an Aye-Aye?

Mingyu: Is that the weird furry thing with the huge eyes? Ugly as sin?

Wonwoo: It’s not ugly, it’s perfectly adapted for its environment and lifestyle

Mingyu: Doesn’t make it cute

The8: Not every animal has to be cute, I like Aye-Ayes

Mingyu: True, but there is not cute, and then there is that monstrosity. Google it, I dare you

Jun: Don’t do it!!! I have some major regrets now, 

Wonwoo: Oh come on, it’s not that bad

Jun: In a world where naked mole rats exist, I never thought there would be competition for ugliest animal, yet here we are

The8: So.. you’ve never heard of mountain leeches then? If naked mole rats are your idea of the ugliest animal, boy have I got news for you

Wonwoo: Pretty sure I took it easy on them, usually stuck with mammals

Hoshi: I know about the mountain leeches, they’re Japanese. They have some truly terrifying creepy crawlies, no wonder they make such good horror movies

Ren: Shit, shit, shit, okay confession time, I googled mountain leeches, this was a horrible decision

Hoshi: Hehehe, told you

Ren: They follow you!

Hoshi: Yep

Jeonghan: Fill us in for anyone with the good sense not to google anything involving the word leech? 

Ren: I feel vaguely insulted, but at the same time that is fair

Hoshi: Imagine a foot long tube of ick that frontflips its way towards anything that moves and swallows things whole like a snake 

Jeonghan: Every word you just said is whole worlds of nope

Wonwoo: Told you Aye-Ayes weren’t that bad

Mingyu: Guys, he’s preening, I’m torn between laughing and swooning 

Joshua: After what Hoshi just said swooning is the furthest thing from my mind

Mingyu: When you hang around two people that like to look up random things for fun you get a tough skin

The8: And yet the poor Aye-Aye gets dissed

Wonwoo: I didn’t show you lampreys, or coelacanths, or angler fish. I meant it when I said I went easy on you 

The8: I think hag fish are more interesting 

Jun: Anything that only lives in caves or in the deep ocean doesn’t count, they are their own special type of ugly

Wonwoo: You’re going to hurt their feelings

Jun: I’ll apologize to the next salamander I see, but I’m sticking by what I said 

Woozi: Bats live in caves, do you not like bats either?

Jun: I’m good with bats, most of them are adorable and the rest look like tiny gargoyles, I approve

Wonwoo: I’m sure the bats appreciate it 

Baekho: How in the hell did you guys go from a kindhearted question to mountain leeches in less than five minutes? 

The8: Talent.

Baekho: Okay, but still you guys didn’t even really answer the question before veering off. We saw the broken floor, did anyone get hurt? 

Dino: No one is injured but it scared the hell out of me when the tile moved the first time

Jun: Same, you loosened it right before I got up there. I thought I was going to fall on my face. I got rattled and rushed the beat for Getting Closer later on

JR: It still looked awesome. All of you did great actually, I loved the remix, and having the performance unit do dance breaks was genius

Hoshi: Why thank you

Minhyun: I’m glad no one got hurt, that was dangerous

Dino: And no one would hear the end of it if Junie really had fallen on his face

The8: Anywhere but the face

Jun: So its fine if I fall as long as I don’t damage the visuals?

The8: The rest of you is good, but I mean, I like your face

Joshua: So do Carats

S.Coups: How about we just be grateful no one is hurt and not worry about damaged visuals unless we have to?

Seungkwan: Too late, we already have a Rudolph, only its way passed Christmas

Woozi: Vernon?

Seungkwan: Yep, it’s cute but I feel bad that he’s sick ☹

S.Coups: I’m sure he’ll get better soon, if it doesn’t ease up tomorrow we’ll see about getting him to a doctor. Sound good to both of you?

Seungkwan: He’s alright with it and I just want him better, so that’s the plan 

Ren: Wasn’t one of you a reindeer in the Santa choreo vid?

DK: That was me, not Vernon

Ren: That looked like fun

DK: I don’t know, JRex was pretty funny too

Jeonghan: Don’t forget the chicken!

DK: Silly me, I shouldn’t forget that of course

Woozi: I don’t know how JR pulled off dancing in a dinosaur suit

JR: Talent.

Jeonghan: That is a bizarre talent, and this is coming from someone who entertains people by imitating a giraffe

Baekho: I’m still not sure if I was supposed to be a chicken or a turkey

The8: Chicken, no one wants to be a turkey

Mingyu: He was a plucked and roasted bird, does it make that much of a difference what kind? 

The8: Yes.

Joshua: The topic has veered almost as quickly as it did earlier, we might want to rein it in a bit

JR: If it makes Vernon feel better to know he’s not alone, Aron is in about the same shape, he’s flat out asleep right now though

Minhyun: Hasn’t so much as twitched in hours. We should probably get him up and make him drink something and eat a bit soon

JR: All of us should do that to be honest, we need to be careful with ourselves so more of us don’t get sick

S.Coups: Want to order something and eat together? Our guys need it too

Minhyun: Sounds nice actually 

Woozi: Want me to start rounding everyone up?

Hoshi: You’re volunteering to come out of the studio?

Woozi: I’ve been staring at this screen for ten hours, now I have a killer headache and need a break and some food.

Minhyun: That’s not good Woozi, you come out to the common room and get some water and pain killers; anyone reading this please do the same. I know Ren is with Aron and Seungkwan is watching out for Vernon so you guys can wait until the food is here if you want

Baekho: Now here’s the important question, where are we ordering from and can we all find something at the same place?

S.Coups: We have a place we go to all the time, I’ll have the menu for it when everyone gets here. They are used to handling all of us so a few more shouldn’t be a problem 

Baekho: I’ll take your word for it, heading over now

Ren: Where have you been by the way?

Woozi: He’s been with me 

Ren: Is there another Heaven in the works? 

Baekho: Not now anyway, it’s just nice to get feedback when we’re stuck

DK: Heaven was fun, I’d do another collaboration in a heartbeat 

JR: Someday we can do it again I hope, maybe get a few more people involved and do a big medley

S.Coups: That would be awesome, and I have someone in mind

Jeonghan: Really? Who?

S.Coups: Samuel, I almost had Jun and The8 smuggle the kid back here in their suitcase, but didn’t think customs would appreciate it

Jun: No they really wouldn’t 

The8: Could have been worth it though, I liked him

Minhyun: Speaking of collaborations and Samuel, I watched Chao Yin Zhan Ji with Guanlin. You two did a really good job especially with the problems thrown at you

The8: Thank you

Jun: Yeah, thanks, we learned a lot

Mingyu: You two also practically adopted Muel

Jun: We couldn’t just leave him stranded, he’s smart but he was totally out of his depth in the beginning

The8: Not being allowed to speak Korean in front of the cameras was a big challenge, he’s lucky enough of us spoke English well enough to make it work. That he was willing to attempt learning from us too was pretty good to see, won him a lot of respect from the rest of us

Jun: He picked up what we taught him fast and he might have learned faster but we were using both Mandarin and Cantonese so he was actually trying to learn two languages at once

S.Coups: Still you did good by him, you didn’t have to do as much as you did outside of the competition but you still chose to help him

The8: It’s not like we don’t understand how hard it is to come to a different place with only basic communication, he got my attention just for being willing to do the show at all then just kept impressing me as it went on

Jun: You guys should have seen him after the partner selections, he was a mess

The8: I won’t deny it. It wasn’t easy to say no, but I thought there would be a better chance of working with him after the show than it would be to coordinate with some of the others, I had to take the chance that was given to learn or it would have felt like wasted time

Minhyun: Looked to me like it worked out okay, he worked well with Zhennan and you had fun with Victor before it was over

The8: That’s the only reason I don’t have regrets about it, I think I made the right choice

Minhyun: Jun I want to ask about Yanan, is that okay?

Jun: I try not to overwhelm him with messages, but he seems to be getting better 

Minhyun: Thank you, and I really admire how you handled it all. It isn’t easy to know how to deal with sensitive issues but you managed it so well

S.Coups: Jun has always been like that though, he likes to help people when they’re hurting, if nothing else he tries to make people smile even when they really don’t feel like it 

Jun: Thank you, but could we maybe talk about something else? 

Baekho: Sure, we were in the middle of planning dinner, some of you made it but there are a lot of stragglers.

Hoshi: My legs are jelly or I would round up everyone not reading

JR: Hold up, everyone reading please sound off

Minhyun: Here

Hoshi: Here

Woozi: Here

Ren: Here

Baekho: Here

Wonwoo: Here

Mingyu: Here

Jun: Here

The8: Here

Seungkwan: Here

Joshua: Here

Jeonghan: Here

DK: Here 

S.Coups: Here

Minhyun: Aron and Vernon are accounted for

DK: Anyone seen Dino? 

Jun: He responded earlier, not sure where he went

Jeonghan: He’s with me and Josh, needed to charge his phone

JR: Thought so, we’re all in contact, just come here when you’re ready then

The8: Where’s here again?

JR: Stick with Minhyun’s suggestion and meet in the common room, it’s big enough for all of us

S.Coups: You heard him guys, get over here

The crowd of boys found themselves draped over furniture, slumped at tables, and using each other for support. The long tiring schedules meant they needed every bit of comfort they could get, leaving the leaders to collect together the order and money, getting everything straightened out before joining the heap of people themselves. 

The ill ones were cared for by the people who loved them and soon the whole group was well fed, warm, and comfortable with each other, drifting off to sleep away the aches and pains of hard effort.


	4. The Fourth Pile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get the word out that FACE is nearly at 100m views and loves need help to finish before the comeback, but there is a full chapter of content here just to be clear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First: thank you for reading, this is fun therapy so I hope you can be lenient about my erratic updates  
> Second: I give two characters mild anxiety in this story; once again I am merely projecting these ideas on stage persona and am not claiming to know anything about the idols personal lives.   
> Third: I pick on JR a bit in this chapter, inspired by that one incident where Ren practically threw a rave in the bedroom and he just kept playing on the computer. I love him and intend no disrespect, just letting them be human.  
> Fourth: I think I might owe an apology? I said in the summary that nothing hurts in this story, but I guess what I should have said is I don’t intend to manufacture heavy angst or infighting, real events can hit hard enough. If I don’t let them feel a little pain, the others don’t have a chance to show how sweet they are to each other.  
> And Lastly: NU’EST’s debut video FACE is nearly at 100m views, they comeback on the 29th and we’re trying to give them the milestone before they re-debut with all five of them, if anyone reading would like to help us Loves with that it would be really appreciated.

The Fourth Pile  
-alternatively titled the introduction to the Pledis love dodecahedron-

 

JR was looking back through old messages making sure he hadn’t missed anything important in the rush of comeback preparations, when he realized just how long it had been since there was any activity in the group text between them and the Seventeen boys, both groups insanely busy and having no real time to tap out even a cursory text.

Well no time like the present to throw something out there and see if anyone was around.

:Cuddle Pile:

JR: I was just going through my phone and realized its been ages since we talked, how is everyone holding up? 

S.Coups: I noticed that the other day, meant to say something then, I really did, but I got called into another meeting with the staff and forget until you just said something now.

JR: No worries, I wasn’t even sure anyone would be around to talk, but thought it couldn’t hurt to try

Joshua: You have good timing, we have a rest day tomorrow and were just finishing up a last bit of practice

DK: To answer your actual question though, we seem to be mostly in one piece. Vernon was off again for awhile, but he’s better now, and The8 finally managed more than two hours of sleep at a time

JR: Thank you DK, but what happened to The8?

Ren: JR….I literally talked your ear off for like an hour the other day about him; were you listening at all?!?

Minhyun: Was he gaming?

JR: …Maybe

Minhyun: Than that’s a no, he doesn’t listen to any of us when those headphones go on

S.Coups: True

JR: Et Tu Coups? 

Woozi: It’s not like he doesn’t do the same thing

Jun: The8 was filming a show in China and keeping up with promotional activities at the same time, he was pretty wiped out during the whole deal

JR: Thank you Jun, and to the rest of you, see how easy that was? That was so much simpler than ganging up on me

Ren: But not nearly as fun

S.Coups: What he said

JR: So what show was he doing that you didn’t Jun?

Ren: I hope you know I just facepalmed, unimportant, but thought you ought to know

JR: Why?

The8: I was a dance trainer for the second season of Idol Producer

Ren: You know, the Chinese version of the show we made our last stand on not so long ago? The one I invited you to watch with me, but you had those darn headphones on again.

Ren: Wait, holy shit you’re on. So okay, I always did think you were cool, but damn kid you can teach!

The8: Thank you? I think

Minhyun: Just roll with it, Ren gets excitable sometimes, makes for great variety programming

The8: I’ll remember that

Ren: I’m not that bad!

Baekho: Not all the time, just sometimes, you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t like that though so don’t worry about it

DK: Oh I meant to tell you Minhyun, Universe turned out amazing, I’ve loved your voice forever and it just keeps getting better

Minhyun: Thank you, I thought it went well, and shooting the video on location like that was really cool

DK: It looked like you were having fun, even if some of your fans were probably eyeballing the girl you hugged

Minhyun: Most of them don’t mean any harm, they are still learning how feelings work a lot of the time, we try to keep an eye out for the ones who take it too far which I’m sure you guys do too

S.Coups: Unfortunately yes we do try and stay alert, it only takes one bad incident before rules get changed and its harder to interact with the fans who don’t do anything wrong

Ren: Our fans are amazing, both Loves and Carats. They have squabbles sometimes but they manage to work things out, I get really happy when I see that

Baekho: Loves are trying really hard to give us our first 100 million before the comeback. I’m thankful there are enough of them now to really aim for it

S.Coups: I’m glad to see it too, you guys deserved so much more than you got, but I’ve looked up to you every step of the way for surviving when so many other bands didn’t 

Minhyun: We had each other, it was enough to hang on until the show got us the attention we needed. We got to work with a lot of great people thanks to that, and while it was hard to be gone for so long, I knew I had a home to come back to so I enjoyed every bit of it I could 

Baekho: It was your guys that had to buckle down and create your own debut, you worked hard to get where you are and we’re proud of all you’ve done.

S.Coups: As hard as it was, I think it was good for us. It gave us something different to offer to fans, and its always a great feeling when something you made yourself gets attention

JR: And the strategy worked

Ren: Wow this got heavy fast, quick someone change the subject!

Seungkwan: Yay! This is active again, I was worried there for awhile

S.Coups: You do know there was nothing stopping you from messaging us if you wanted to talk, right?

Seungkwan: Yes there was

S.Coups: And what was that?

Seungkwan: Social conventions? I thought it would be weird just to come on and say hi? I didn’t really know what to say.

JR: As the person who made this chat, I say that’s exactly what you guys are allowed to do. It’s nice just to say hello sometimes

Jeonghan: It’s weird for Kwannie not to talk, you doing alright?

Seungkwan: I’m fine, social anxiety isn’t just for the cool silent types you know

Ren: You have anxiety? How come I didn’t know that?

Seungkwan: It was never bad enough to worry someone over, and I’m a good enough actor to deliberately make a fool of myself on live television despite it, so really it only crops up in little moments like not wanting to start the conversation in a group chat; I’m more than okay once it gets going though

Jun: I have a little of that too, its why I can be so impulsive whenever I feel like it, but I really, really, don’t like doing aegyo

Hoshi: And we understand, its why we don’t make you unless all of the rest of us are doing it too, misery loves company

Woozi: And trust me, these imbeciles are more than willing to throw me to the wolves instead

Hoshi: Not our fault you’re tiny and cute, one dose of yours and the rest of us get off easy

Woozi: That’s it, I’m cutting your lines on the next track!

Jeonghan: No you won’t, you wouldn’t risk the integrity of one of your songs by being petty. He’ll have exactly the same amount of lines you planned from the start

Woozi: And people wonder why I don’t hang around more

Joshua: Something interesting just happened, there I was minding my own business, going to get a drink from the kitchen, and there is an impressive amount of people piled on Wonwoo’s bed; how do you all even fit?

Wonwoo: I have it from a credible source someone is talking about us again

S.Coups: Was your source Jun?

Mingyu: Nope, The8

Ren: Awful eager to snitch on each other aren’t you? 

Wonwoo: Saves time

Joshua: No really, just how? That has to be like playing tetris with limbs, you’ve even got Mingyu somewhere under there!

Jun: We all just kind of plop here? I mean someone has to lie down first of course

Wonwoo: Which was me, it is my bed

Jun: Then someone else shows up

The8: Me, we’re reading the same book and I wanted to talk about it

Mingyu: Then I saw them talking and laughing, it looked fun, so I joined

Jun: He’s surprisingly good at weaseling into tight places when he feels like it, and usually ends up underneath the skinny ones; no one really likes to be squished by 80 kilos of overgrown puppy even if he is cute

Ren: Well now I’m curious how you know all this?

Mingyu: How do you think? He’s in the pile with us

The8: Jun is the human equivalent of a cat, he curls up wherever he feels warm and comfortable, which just so happened to be on top of us

Wonwoo: And that, for all interested parties, is how you fit four adults on a twin mattress

Ren: You make a WonHao sandwich by the sounds of it

Minhyun: If Mingyu is a puppy and Jun is a cat, what are the rest of you?

The8: Cat

Wonwoo: Also cat

Minhyun: Well that explains a lot actually

S.Coups: You have no idea how much it really, really does

 

:Bonus:   
Seungkwan created group :Thank You:   
Seungkwan added Joshua and Jun to Group :Thank You:

Seungkwan: Just wanted to say thank you for taking the pressure off me Jun, and all of us Josh, that was great timing

Jun: I know its not easy to talk about, I mean, mine is pretty obvious and it still took me awhile to explain it. You shouldn’t feel pressured over something you’ve already learned to mostly deal with on your own; which you’ve done a really good job of by the way

Seungkwan: I do?

Jun: I suspected a little, but I didn’t know for sure until you just told us, anytime you can keep it from showing that well for that long is something well managed

Seungkwan: I was telling the truth too, it really isn’t that bad, honestly its more annoying than anything else. I’ve heard a lot of stories about people who can barely function they have such bad anxiety, so I got off lucky

Joshua: Its good to know it’s not that bad, but just remember if you need to talk you’ve got at least twelve people willing to listen. Just because other people have it worse doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to vent about the little stuff that builds up over time

Jun: That’s when its really nice to have so many of us, of course it isn’t good to dwell on the negative, but getting it off your chest every once and awhile feels really good, and as long as you let it go both ways, listening when they need you to in return, there is no harm in a little emotional purge

Seungkwan: Thank you

Seungkwan: Now what I want to know is whether or not the five of you planned that distraction? Our resident love dodecahedron isn’t usually so forthcoming

Joshua: First, I appreciate that Ranma ½ reference, second, kind of? It was spur of the moment when I walked in on them cuddling and knew the group chat needed some comic relief, those four agreed with me

Jun: I wanted a distraction too, and we don’t really care who knows we are all tactile enough to enjoy piling up like puppies, its just not something that comes up a whole lot in conversation even between us, because if we aren’t in the habit of talking about it there is less of a chance of us slipping in front of the cameras

Seungkwan: I get it, just like me and Vernon

Joshua: Or me, Jeonghan, and S.Coups, with about the same results

Joshua: But to quote the rulebook, a certain amount of suspicion is fanservice, flat out confirmation is not

Jun: Have to admit, it is kind of fun testing where the line is sometimes, but Wonwoo and Mingyu know what can happen if it goes too far; its no fun having to avoid a good friend just because some executive got a little jumpy

Seungkwan: Now you’re speaking the truth


End file.
